1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to fishing lures and, more specifically, to fishing lures of the type which glide in a reverse direction when in the water, above the bottom, on a slack line.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Fishing lures which have a reverse gliding feature are known. When such a lure is in water, above the bottom on a slack line, the lure glides generally away from the fisherman with a gradual descent ("glide"or "glides"). When the lure is retrieved, the lure moves toward the fisherman with a rapid ascent ("retrieve").
U.S. Pat. No. 3,738,046 discloses lure with a body and a stabilizer wing member. The wing and body are constructed so that, when the lure is on a fishing line in the water, retrieval of the lure, as by reeling in, causes the lure body to assume an angle of about forty-five degrees relative to a horizontal plane (FIG. 8) and continued retrieval of the lure causes it to rise rapidly over a short distance of travel in a direction towards the fisherman who is reeling in. When there is slack in the fishing line, the lure body assumes a more nearly horizontal position (FIG. 9) and the lure glides away from the fisherman, traveling in a direction generally opposite to the direction the lure was traveling when it was being retrieved, although the rate of ascent is greater than the rate of descent. In other words, the lure has a slow rate of descent during a glide and a relatively rapid rate of ascent during retrieval.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,883 discloses a gliding fishing lure which also has a reverse gliding feature. This lure has a soft, non-rigid body which is precisely weighted to cause the lure, when suspended in water on a slack line, to glide away from the fisherman. In column 8, lines 19-30, there is disclosed the use of eccentric weights which can be used to control, somewhat, the lateral direction of the lure during a glide. Specifically, a weight comprising a body 76 which has an eccentric potion 74 and a non-eccentric portion 78 is disclosed. The patent states that "when eccentric portion 74 is laterally positioned from the center line of a soft, non-rigid gliding lure, eccentric portion 74 causes the lure to tilt and move in the direction of the lateral position of the eccentric portion." (lines 26 through 30). However, it is noted that, in order to change the direction of glide in a lure according to this patent, one must remove and replace one or more weights.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,744,175 appears to disclose a gliding lure.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,321,850 and 3,724,117 disclose lures that, when jigged up and down in the water, travel in a generally circular path. U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,811 also discloses a lure suited for jigging and constructed so that "it will glide forward in a relatively flat descent path when allowed to fall through the water; will appear to dart backwards and upwards when jerked mildly upwardly with the fishing line; and will simulate a head foremost, horizontal swimming action when the top of the line is moved horizontally above the surface of the water without any change in the length of the line." (column 1, lines 39 through 46)
U.S. Pat. No. 3,401,483 discloses a buoyant version of a gliding lure which ascends slowly as it reverse swims.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,500 discloses an oscillating lure with an upwardly extending arm and a bulbous member supported thereon. When the lure is retrieved, the bulbous member imparts a substantial side-to-side motion to the lure.